What Is a Good Typing Speed? WPM by Age and Job
Last updated: 2026-11-01
Typing speed is measured in words per minute, or WPM. People often ask what a good number is, and the honest answer is that it depends on what you need it for. This guide explains how WPM is counted, gives rough guides you can compare yourself with, and shows how to test your speed in a way that gives a fair number.
How WPM is counted
In a typing test, a word is defined as five characters, and spaces and punctuation count as characters. If you type 300 characters in one minute, your speed is 60 WPM, because 300 divided by five is 60. This rule exists so that tests are fair: a text with long words and a text with short words give the same number for the same finger speed.
There are two versions of the number. Gross WPM counts everything you typed. Net WPM counts only the correct characters, so mistakes lower it. TypeLemon shows net speed, and its leaderboard ranks net speed, so a fast run full of typos does not beat a slightly slower clean run.
Rough guides
These ranges are only a rough guide. They are not an official standard, and different websites draw the lines in slightly different places.
- Under 20 WPM: just starting, or typing with one or two fingers while looking at the keys.
- 20 to 40 WPM: a developing typist. Many adults who never learned touch typing are here.
- 40 to 60 WPM: a comfortable everyday speed. Many people type at around 40 WPM on average.
- 60 to 80 WPM: a good speed for office work. Many jobs that involve a lot of typing ask for something in this range.
- 80 to 100 WPM: fast. Writers, programmers and administrators who practise often reach it.
- Above 100 WPM: very fast. It takes years of practice or a lot of competitive play to get here and stay accurate.
What do jobs ask for?
Some jobs name a minimum speed. Data entry, transcription and some administrative or customer support roles often ask for a figure in the 40 to 60 WPM range or higher, and some ask for a speed test during hiring. Other jobs, such as software development, almost never test speed, because thinking takes longer than typing. A good plan is to check the job advertisement for the exact number and practise towards it, with accuracy above 95 percent.
What about children and teenagers?
Children who are learning often start at a very low speed, and that is normal. A child who is learning the keys may type at about 5 to 15 WPM, and speed rises with practice and age. Accuracy and correct finger use matter more than speed in the first year. Our guide for parents explains how to start.
How to test your speed fairly
- Use a test with real sentences, not random letters, so you type the way you normally do.
- Do at least three runs and use the middle or the average, not the best. One lucky run is not your speed.
- Test at the same time of day, with the same keyboard.
- Keep the same rules each time. A test that lets you finish with typos left in gives a different number from one that does not.
On TypeLemon the typing box on the home page counts only correct letters, and the My progress page shows your speed by day and by week, so you see the trend and not a single lucky number.
Is faster always better?
Not always. Beyond a certain point, extra speed gives less and less benefit, and accuracy and comfort matter more. A typist who writes 70 WPM with few mistakes will usually finish a document before a typist who writes 90 WPM and has to fix every third line. Aim for a speed that is comfortable and accurate, then keep it up with regular practice.
Try it on TypeLemon
Practise what you just read: type a sentence in the typing test, play Zombie Shooter or Slime Stampede, or press Match on the home page to play against other people. It is free, and you can play as a guest.